Someone Said You're Feeling Brave Tonight
by LackingSwAg
Summary: Discontinued because COLLEGE.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: **The title comes from Divide the Day's 'Let it Roll'. OC Ruo is mine. The Akatsuki and all other characters belong to Naruto's creator (his name is on the tip of my tongue...) T_T Please R&R!

I sat on the barstool, staring down at my drink, waiting for a good song to blast. I was sick of the shitty pop garbage all the clubs... All those songs sounded almost the same. It was ridiculous. Bored with my drink - my third of the night, I was slightly drunk - I took a look around the club. Red, yellow, blue, and magenta lights flashed and panned along with the rib-cracking bass from said shitty pop songs. Girls were grinding on their boys. Boys were feeling on their girls. The male bartenders looked entertained as drunk women ordered "just one more" Kahlua and cream, spilling their breasts over the counter, hoping to -er- lower the price. The female bartenders looked almost as bored as I felt, except for the few who flirted with half-drunk husbands. I kept looking, seeking that strange energy I was always after. It was nowhere to be found. I decided that before I bailed on this shithole, I would bust a move on the dance floor. Now, mind, I was drunk enough to think I had rhythm. I could play a guitar and the drums, and I could sing, but dancing? Jesus, no. No, no, no. I guess I was secretly wishing the dance floor would turn into a mosh pit. That would be fucking fantastic.

I made my way through sweating bodies, booze-breath, and smog to the DJ's turntable.

He mouthed "I can't hear you!" and ignored me.

Irritated and with an ever-shortening fuse, I grabbed the tablet and pen he had set out for "requests" and scrawled "heavy fucking metal", to which he wrote back, "wrong club, bitch". I threw the paper and pen back at him and stormed through the crowd, not caring who I pushed or knocked over. I was in a semi-drunken stupor, but my anger was ridding me of the drunkenness.

Once outside, I breathed in fresh air and was greeted with a splitting headache. Water. Dammit... I should have gotten a bottle to go. Holding my head in my hands, I retreated to the alley between the club and a ramen shop. I collapsed onto my ass and started drifting off.

What could have been a few minutes or a few hours later, I was face-to-face with some guy with magenta-red eyes. He was furious, and completely sober. I was now piss-drunk, having not had water and no longer being angry.

"Their music suck... suck... SUCKS," I spat, slurring my words.

The man glared at me, "yeah, it fuckin' does..." He grabbed the collar of my jacket and pulled me up. My feet barely touched the ground. "You knocked me and my drink over on the way out, bitch, and my friend doesn't plan on paying for a second one!" He finished his rant with "that money-grubbing bastard..." and returned his steely glare to me.

"What of it, maaaaan? Just get another one yah-self..." I hiccuped and smiled stupidly at him. I think - hic- I might... ugh... -hic-... p-p-put me down... I'm gonna- FUCK!" I threw myself to the side, smashing my wrists awkwardly on the pavement and vomiting at the guy's feet. "Ahh..." I spluttered, feeling another episode coming on. The man above me made no move to grab me or leave; he just stared at me. I looked out of the alley and saw someone blending into the tree across from the ramen shop. I couldn't make out his features; half of his face was in shadow, but his eyes were yellow, and something weird and spiky enveloped his body. I gasped, and attempted to point. The minimal effort made me wretch again, this time more painful than the last as my stomach emptied itself. With shaky arms, I held myself up. I didn't want to fall into my embarrassing puddle of vomit. My eyelids were so heavy, and I just wanted to fall asleep. As I collapsed, I blacked out completely.


	2. Chapter 2

I woke up in a black robe with red accents that looked like clouds. With every heartbeat, my head throbbed. I sat up as slowly as I could.

"You had quite a night, um, Ruo, yeah?" Someone laughed quietly out of my field of vision. I turned away from the headboard of the bed and nearly passed out when I realized who had captured me... or rescued me, depending on how you looked at it.

"You're the... the... gang... You're..." I stammered, hungover as shit, staring into the face of a man with interestingly styled blond hair that covered one of his blue eyes. He had a mocking, knowing smile on his face, and he laughed as he tossed my ID between his hands, which had... mouths on them... "Am I seeing things?"

"Hm?" He seemed caught off guard, and then realized I was staring at his hands. "Oh these, un. I'm an artist, so it stands to reason that I should be able to use my hands to the best of my ability, yeah. They're very helpful hands, let's put it that way!" After I was silent for a few minutes, he spoke again, "how are you feeling, un?"

I answered slowly, "alright, I guess... Who was that freaky guy who kidnapped me? He had red eyes and he was pissed off about something..."

"Do you not remember the alley?"

"N-not really, no..." I blushed, knowing something foolish had happened.

"Heh, well, it was Hidan who unwillingly took you in, yeah. Zetsu ordered it."

"Who?"

The blond sighed with a smile. "I'll let you rest, un. When you wake up, we've got, er, things to discuss with Leader. So, call for me or Hidan when you feel better, yeah."

"O-okay..." I watched as he walked towards the door.

"We've all been there, yeah."

"Where?"

"Hungover. My name's Deidara, by the way." the blond tossed me my ID card and left the room.

Overwhelmed by the new information, I flopped back on the pillow and burrowed beneath the blankets. This was so surreal. Could I still be drunk? Did I obtain acid from someone on the street corner? I mean... what the fuck? The criminal organization called Akatsuki was merciless; they wouldn't just take someone in if it didn't benefit them. But then again, I did piss one of them off... He'd be a formidable opponent and I wouldn't stand a chance. I closed my eyes and slept.

x_x_x_x_x_x

I woke up again, the headache nearly gone, and my stomach rumbling. I sat up and rubbed my eyes. Hidan... I was supposed to summon him or Deidara.

"Hida-"

"Don't bother." I was cut off by an irritated sigh from a familiar voice. The magenta-eyed man entered my room as if he knew I had woken up. "We've got eyes everywhere, you better fucking believe it. Plus, this is my god damn room, so get the fuck out!"

"Why'd you listen to him?" I asked suddenly, remembering that Zetsu character, and how he had apparently ordered Hidan to take me.

"Listen to who? Oh, Zetsu? That fucker knows everything. If he was watching you, if he chose you, you're fucking special."

"Special... Well jeez, can I go? I know I'm nothing special." I stood up, and struggled for balance.

Hidan glanced at me and smirked slightly, amused. "You can't just walk out of the Akatsuki. You've even got a robe... MY fucking robe, granted... But Leader gave us the order to keep you... So you've got no choice."

"Why?"

Hidan was visibly pissed now. "Stop asking so many god damn fucking questions! Just go downstairs and bother Deidara."

I followed his direction and walked down the hall, where I passed a room. Deidara was hunched over a blob of clay, admiring it. "Hey." I muttered.

"Ruo, come sit with me, un. I'm making a brand new masterpiece." he didn't look up as he began to mold the clay into a large bird. "You know what's special about my art? It's got C-3 in it... I believe art is an explosion!"

"Oh yeah?" I asked quietly, unsure of whether or not I wanted to dabble in the art of explosives.

"This art is fleeting and lasts only for a moment, un. I infuse the bombs with my chakra and…" he trailed off, suddenly broken from his trance, and stared at me. "You'll have to check it out sometime, yeah?"

"Uh… Sure… I thought this Leader guy had something to say to me."

Deidara laughed, "Hidan didn't tell you?"

I was baffled. Noticeably. "Tell me what?"

"About Leader's—"

"Judgement." A man with a deep voice shadowed Deidara's doorway. "I have decided that, if you are willing, you would be a… decent addition to the Akatsuki."

I stared up into the steely, spiral-y eyes of Leader. His reddish orange hair was held back by a headband with a slice across the plate that held his village's symbol… Just like Hidan's and Deidara's headbands. Leader's ears were pierced several times, along with the bridge of his nose and his lower lip.

I stared some more, trying to make my decision. If I were to become a member of the Akatsuki, I would be considered an S-Ranked criminal… A criminal. I had tried so hard to fly under the radar, living life like a normal person without any hidden talents or hidden demons. Leader seemed to see through me, into me.

"Yes."

"You will be assigned a partner, and you will be trained. You will learn our system, how we operate… our ways. Come tomorrow, you will put on a show of the talents I know you possess."

"W-What do I do now?" I was shivering; Leader was indeed terrifying. Beside me, Deidara was silently watching his boss.

"For now, you can spend your time getting acquainted with the other members. You seem to know Hidan," he regarded me, his eyes briefly shining with a slight glimmer of humor, "quite well."

I felt a blush spread over my cheeks when I remembered I was wearing Hidan's robe. "Do I get my own robe?" I asked stupidly, trying to cover up and save face.

"Tomorrow." Without another word, Leader vanished down the hall.

I stared at Deidara, who seemed unusually quiet. "Leader likes you. And he knows something about you… Strange, un."

"There isn't anything special about me!" I insisted, knowing the secret would soon be revealed. "I mean…"

"We'll see tomorrow, yeah." He smiled at me and placed his palm on my cheek. The little mouth licked me. I laughed hard then, and Deidara joined me.

Maybe being here… Maybe I would feel at home.


	3. Chapter 3

Deidara urged me to walk around and talk to the other members, warning me to stay away from Leader when he wasn't out and about. I nodded and walked into the hallway.

Hidan's door was open a crack, and, being a mischievous little bitch, I crept over and looked in. He was lying on his bed, still shirtless, sleeping off the day's events. A three bladed scythe with a rope hung above his bed, along with a pointed spear. I entered his room, eager to see what other goodies he had. Around his neck was a silver pendant… an upside-down triangle within a circle. After a silent stroll around his room, I decided to leave. If Hidan woke up on the wrong side of the bed with me wandering his room wearing his clothes, who knew what could go wrong?

The door next to Hidan's was shut, and I didn't bother knocking. Opposite the closed room was an open door. I knocked on the frame. A member with an orange mask and a robe jumped out from behind the door. "Boo! Be I scared you, huh? Oooh, new girl, you're going to have a lot of fun with Tobi! Tobi will teach you everything he knows. Tobi is a good boy!"

A loud banging from the room next to Tobi's – Deidara's room – silenced Tobi. Deidara shouted, "TOBI, SHUT THE HELL UP, UN!"

I smiled at Tobi, "well, you have friends don't you? Tobi's a good boy." I kept up my smile as I eased away from the door, shutting it quietly behind me.

"Who the fuck caused that…" Hidan stumbled out of his room, still half asleep. "Oh… you…" he glared at me. "When am I getting my fucking robe back, huh?"

Deidara scowled, "Leader said she was getting her robes tomorrow. Piss off!"

"You little girly-man, don't fucking tell me to piss off! It's her that should get the hell out! She's gonna throw off the whole fucking group now!" Hidan bellowed at his comrade, flashing me a look that shone with hatred.

"Hidan…" a warning voice spoke from the neighboring door. "You know Leader's judgments are never off. He wants her for a reason. So shut your trap and lock your door until you figure out the reason." A huge man laden with stitches and muscles approached Hidan. This man's mouth was stitched at the sides. His eyes were black and green and inhuman. He must have noticed me staring because his attention directed towards me. "Just ignore this loudmouth. He's full of it… and a money-waster."

Hidan twitched, obviously remembering me knocking over his drink, "Kakuzu, it wasn't _my fault _that this fucking bitch knocked over my god damned drink! Dammit Kakuzu!"

"Let's settle this matter once and for all, fucking dammit! Hidan, just shut the fuck up. Kakuzu," I addressed the big buy and handed him a $10. "This should cover it."

Hidan's expression changed from completely pissed-off to somewhat befuddled. "I can't fucking believe it," he muttered to himself before slamming the door to his room.

Kakuzu eyed me for a moment and then he broke out into a throaty laugh. "You and I are a lot alike…" he stared at me.

"Ruo." I grinned.

"Ruo. Pleasure doing business with you," he shook my hand vigorously and strode off, happily clutching the ten dollars. I laughed and looked at Deidara, who seemed pleased that no one had gotten violent.

"People don't usually mouth off to Hidan, un," he said softly. "There is something special about you, hmm… But, what about your abilities as a fighter? What do you do?"

I frowned. "I haven't fought in a long time, man… I couldn't tell you." _Actually, I could… But a demonstration is due tomorrow. So—_

"Save the best for last." A new voice now, from right behind me. Deidara and I jumped back. I looked into the knowing and hungry yellow eyes of the _thing _that had been watching me last night.

"You… you're the spy of this establishment, huh?"

Deidara rolled his eyes, "that's Zetsu for you… Always appearing, hmm."

Zetsu was a man who was part plant, part human, part… _entity. _Half of him was white; the other half was black. The better part of his torso was encased in a huge venus flytrap-looking thing. He chilled me to the bone.

His black half spoke, "Leader wanted you because of your special talents. Take none of us lightly when Leader sends you to train." His white half, much calmer and kinder, told me, "Leader will find the partner that is right for you. We all have our… ups and downs."

Speechless and nervous, I nodded. "Y-Yeah, alright…" I held a hand to my head as Zetsu walked off. Deidara smiled at me, placing a hand on my shoulder.

"It'll be fine, yeah. You'll be okay." He smiled and retreated to his room. "You're welcome to come in, Ruo. I'm just practicing my sculpting… Trying to come up with something even more powerful, un! Art is a bang, yeah!"

"Yeah it is… I'm going to uh… step outside… I need some air. I'm really…"

"I get it, hm." Deidara smiled at me and pointed me in the direction of "outside". "Just don't stray too far… Leader will think you're planning something, yeah."

I told him I wasn't going to try to leave and continued out the door.


	4. Chapter 4

Outside, I found a tree overlooking a lake. I leaned against the bark and closed my eyes. The entity inside me wanted out so badly, but I had to keep it inside. Just as I was entering a peaceful state, I heard pained groans to my left. I followed the noises and found Hidan lying on the ground, bleeding.

"H-Hidan…?"

"That's the stuff… Pain turned into pure ecstasy!" He looked as though he had just fucked for hours on end; his eyes were closed and he a twisted grin on his face.

The freak barely noticed I was standing there, watching him. There was some kind of spear, the one I saw in his room, jammed through his stomach. The crimson ran smoothly over his chiseled stomach and pooled around him. It was like magic watching Hidan take pleasure in torturing himself.

Without thinking, I stepped into his field of vision, and when Hidan opened his eyes, he was furious once more.

"What the FUCK do you think you're doing out here?! Can't a guy get a decent fucking practice in without being bothered by some fucking bitch?!" He got up, the spear still through his body, and fumed at me, looking as though he would haul off and beat the shit out of me.

I felt the color drain from my face as I stood in horror. This man was not ordinary by any stretch of the imagination. His blood spilled and he looked almost unfazed, glaring at me with _those eyes. _

Hidan must have felt my terror because he looked down at the wound in his abdomen. "Do I scare you, girlie?" When I didn't respond, he approached me and grabbed my hand. "Because I should. You should tremble in fear and know that there's a good fucking chance Jashin and I will choose you as our next victim."

The fear was beginning to fade. Hidan's hand was huge compared to mine, and standing at only about five feet tall, he looked monstrous and looming. Hidan placed my hand over the spear and removed his hand, dropping it at his side. I locked eyes with him and tightened my grip.

"Pull it out."

_No time for second guesses. Come on, Ruo. Pull it out. He likes pain. Look at his eyes; they're practically screaming to you. Make this fucker bleed. _

I smiled, "hm..." paused, then pulled the spear out as hard as I could. "Bleed for me, asshole."

Hidan cried out in brief pain, and then that lazy, toothy smile came back and his eyes were suddenly heavily lidded. Did I just kill him? No, there was no way. He would have been dead long before...

"You think you can kill me, huh?"

I remained silent.

"Fucking answer me, dammit!" Hidan stood back up, over the waves of ecstasy.

Then it hit me. This guy _couldn't die. _I didn't want to believe in immortality or anything, but when it was staring me in the face with such... rage (_and bedroomy eyes_), it was difficult to ignore. I remained silent until Hidan flashed a toothy grin.

"Cat got your fucking tongue?"

I shook my head, attempting to clear it of this trance. "N-No... I just wasn't expecting... uh..." I stared at his mutilated torso, now beginning to heal. "...this..."

Hidan laughed. It wasn't a sane sound by any means, no. It made me nervous. "Well, get fucking used to it. It'll thrill you down to the damn core once the shock wears off, bitch."

"I've got a name you asshole." _If he expects to get a rise out of me, he's got another thing coming. _"And I'm pretty sure you know god damn well that you treat your fellow teammates with respect."

Hidan scowled, not that it took away from his handsomeness, and spoke quietly, "you know nothing, not a damn thing, of what it means to be here. You take it like a fucking joke. Well, it isn't a fucking joke, girl. You better tread lightly before you get yourself into a nightmare of a situation."

"It's a little late for that," I stated calmly, but also with great understanding. I had lost this argument, and Hidan was right. No matter how kind these people seemed, they were ruthless and cold. If I didn't know better, I would think I could change them. With a sudden decision made, I looked to Hidan once more, "if you can't beat 'em," I handed him his spear, "fucking join 'em."

I turned and began to walk back to the dwelling. I could have sworn Hidan almost cracked a smile.

"Hey!" He yelled at my retreating form, "don't expect me to go easy on your ass if we're paired up for training!"

I turned around smiling and flipped him the bird. "Same to you, fucker!"

I opened the door and found my way to the upstairs where the rooms were. I hadn't given much thought to where I was supposed to sleep. After much (zero) consideration, I decided Hidan would probably spend the night bleeding outside, and I collapsed onto his bed, staring up and the three-bladed scythe. What an interesting guy. Immortal, bad-tempered, and potty-mouthed. I smiled to myself in the dim room and closed my eyes.


	5. Chapter 5

Hidan blundered into his room in what I assumed to be the middle of the night or early, early morning. He didn't notice me, and I huddled farther under the covers, praying for him to retreat from his room. He did not.

I heard him rummaging through his set of drawers for something - sweatpants, I think he said - and the sound of clothing falling from his body. I was half tempted to look at him... He had a _fiiiiine _upper body, alright, but what did the rest look like?

_God dammit, Ruo! Pull yourself together! _

Hidan's footsteps got closer to the bed and he yawned. Then he flopped down, and I bounced up.

I let out a shriek at the sudden movement, and Hidan leapt out of the bed.

"_HOLY FUCKING JASHIN, WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE FUCKING DOING?!_"

"I didn't think you were-"

"You thought WRONG, bitch! Get the hell out, dammit!"

"Something the matter, Hidan?" A girlish chuckle came from the doorway.

_There's another girl in the Akatsuki? Thank god. _I was looking at a purple-haired woman with a paper flower in her hair, and a piercing through her lower lip. Her golden eyes were glimmering.

"Hell yeah something is 'the matter'! This fucking girl is here. In my bed. Wearing my fucking robe. Isn't there anything 'the matter' with this picture to you? HMMMM?!" Hidan was about to continue his rant when I got up from the bed, turned towards him, and slapped him across the face. He stared at me, his normally furrowed brows raised high in shock, and those magenta eyes finally lacking contempt.

"Control your mother fucking temper, you shithead," I growled, glaring. I then turned to the purple-haired girl. "Glad to see I'm not the only female here." I grinned, "girl time?"

She burst out laughing, "yes! Girl time. Leader told me about you, but he left out the part about..." she motioned towards Hidan and me, "this!" Stopping her laughing fit, she motioned for me to come down the hall with her. "I'll give you a change of clothes. His robe probably reeks."

"I HEARD THAT!" Hidan shouted out the door, slamming it after his final remark.

x_x_x_x_x_x_x

I soon found out the girl's name was Konan. She was a few years older than me; they all were. Strewn around Konan's room were origami birds, butterflies, and flowers. She caught me admiring them.

"It's part of my technique."

"You fight with paper?"

She smiled, "it's quite useful. You'll probably see it in battle. But for now, here's a change of clothes." she handed me a pair of black pants and a sleeveless top.

"How did I get moved from my original clothes to Hidan's robe?"

She blushed, embarrassed for me. "I really wish you hadn't asked!" She let out a nervous laugh and told me. "You had vomit and dirt all over you. Zetsu and Hidan helped you here, and put you in the bathroom... Eheh... you can probably guess where it went from there."

"So, the plant guy and the religious freak saw me naked?" I sounded really pissed, but not surprised.

"Well, no." She hesitated. "Zetsu cleaned you up and demanded Hidan lend you his robe."

"Why?" _What a stupid question._

"I don't know... We're pretty sure Zetsu doesn't enjoy removing his cloak." Konan smiled again, amused. "It's gonna be pretty cool to have another girl around."

I nodded and changed when she stepped out of the room.

I sat on Konan's floor, not at all ready for the dawn to come. "Is there anything to eat?" I asked absentmindedly, forgetting I wasn't exactly a "guest".

"Mhm," she said drowsily. "Just go downstairs. Pantry's in the same room you saw Deidara playing around in... Night..." she drifted off.

I silently thanked her and tip-toed downstairs. I found the pantry without much difficulty and quickly located some crackers. They were salty and delicious, and made my empty stomach very happy.

Not knowing what to do next, and completely exhausted, I sat on the couch where Deidara had been hours before. Sweet, sweet sleep came to me after a few minutes and I was in complete bliss.


End file.
